Welcome back to another week of Bells & Whistles.
Before we get into this week’s Bell — we’ve just started a SpicyIP WhatsApp group to share updates and opportunities. Would be great to have you there (click the link to join the channel)!
And as always, we’ve rounded up a mix of developments, opportunities, and thoughtful reads from across the IP world along with a Bell of the Week that’s well worth revisiting.
Bell of the Week: Shodhganga
Some bells do not just chime, they reach people.
This week’s bell is for Shodhganga, a digital repository that brings together theses and dissertations submitted across universities in India.
For many, academic work exists in fragments. They are written, submitted, archived and then often forgotten. Shelved in university libraries, difficult to access and rarely part of wider conversations. Shodhganga quietly changes that.
It creates a space where this work becomes visible. Where research that may have taken years to produce can be read, cited and built upon by others. In doing so, it shifts how knowledge moves from being stored to being shared.
And yet, this shift also sits within the framework of copyright. A thesis is not just a document, but a work authored, owned and now made accessible. Its movement from submission to circulation raises questions about consent, control and use – questions that are often present, but rarely foregrounded.
Perhaps that is what makes this bell linger. It is not just about access, but about what happens when knowledge that was once confined begins to travel.
Some bells do not just chime, they bring things back into view.
EVENTS
1. Online Talk: “Why did a Rule on Mandatory Prescription of Generic Drugs Fail in India?” – JSW Centre for the Future of Law, NLSIU
22 April 2026 | 5:00 PM (IST) | Online
The JSW Centre for the Future of Law at National Law School of India University is hosting an online presentation by Prashant Reddy T (NLS BA LL.B. ’2008) on “Why did a Rule on Mandatory Prescription of Generic Drugs Fail in India?” The session will explore regulatory, legal, and policy dimensions of pharmaceutical governance and access to medicines in India. The event is open to all.
More info | Register here
2. International Training: IP and Innovation – Economic Concepts and Metrics for Policymakers (WIPO)
22–24 April 2026 | 14:00–16:00 (CET, daily) | Online
The World Intellectual Property Organization is hosting an international training programme on IP and Innovation: Economic Concepts and Metrics for Policymakers, led by experts from its Innovation Economy Section. This three-day online training will explore key dimensions of intellectual property and innovation ecosystems: Day 1 focuses on the role of IP in innovation ecosystems, including key actors and metrics; Day 2 examines women’s participation in IP, addressing barriers, opportunities, and pathways for inclusive innovation; and Day 3 covers innovation capabilities, including concepts and indicators for smart diversification policies. The programme forms part of the CDIP project on systematising statistical data and developing methodologies for impact studies on the use of the IP system.
More info | Register here
3. IP@SCOTUS Series – Chatire v. United States
27 April 2026 | 5:00 – 6:00 PM (ET) | Online
The American University Washington College of Law, through its Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property and Tech, Law & Security Program, will host the next installment of the IP@SCOTUS series, featuring a discussion on Chatire v. United States. The session will bring together expert panelists to provide post-argument analysis and insights on the case, continuing the programme’s tradition of inviting counsel of record and amici to reflect on intellectual property and related cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
More info | Register here
4. IP at the Supreme Court Series – Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. v. Amarin Pharma, Inc.
29 April 2026 | 5:00 – 6:00 PM (EDT) | Hybrid
This session in the IP at the Supreme Court Series will examine key issues arising in Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. v. Amarin Pharma, Inc., focusing on questions of induced infringement in pharmaceutical patent law. Moderated by Professor Charles Duan, the discussion will address whether a generic drugmaker’s references to its product as a “generic version,” along with reliance on public information about a branded drug, are sufficient to plead induced infringement where the label carves out the patented use. It will also consider whether a complaint can sustain a claim for induced infringement absent any explicit instruction or encouragement of the patented method. Registration is required, and the event will be followed by a reception.
More info | Register here
OPPORTUNITIES
1. SpicyIP Summer School 2026: Rethinking IP – Foundations, Faults, and Futures
20–28 June 2026 | Whitefield, Bengaluru | Residential Programme
The SpicyIP Summer School returns with a 9-day residential programme designed to cultivate critical pluralism in intellectual property law and policy, inspired by the legacy of Shamnad Basheer. Limited to 25 participants, the programme brings together scholars, practitioners, and students for intensive discussions and collaborative learning. This year’s theme, “Rethinking IP: Foundations, Faults, and Futures,” focuses on three interlinked terrains of engagement that shape every session, encouraging participants to critically examine the conceptual foundations, systemic shortcomings, and future directions of IP law and policy. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
More info
2. Research Assistants (2) – DPIIT Chair on Intellectual Property Rights
Application Deadline: 30 April 2026 | 5:00 PM (IST)
Applications are invited for two Research Assistant positions under the DPIIT Chair on Intellectual Property Rights for a project on “Patent Landscape of Cancer Drugs Relevant to India and the Impact on Affordability and Accessibility.” The project will involve identifying cancer priorities in India, analysing treatment options, mapping relevant drug patents, and examining issues of affordability and access. One position is intended for candidates with a biomedical background, while the other is for candidates with training in law and patent specialisation. The roles involve contributing to research and dissemination activities of the Chair.
More info
3. Postgraduate Scholarships – Queen’s University Belfast School of Law
Queen’s University Belfast is offering a range of prestigious postgraduate scholarships to support students pursuing advanced legal studies, each tailored to different academic interests and career paths. Available awards include the County Antrim Grand Jury Bursary Award, James MacQuitty Law Scholarship, and the Stephen Livingstone Memorial Fund. Each scholarship has its own eligibility criteria and application process, so applicants are encouraged to review the details carefully to identify the most suitable opportunity for their academic goals.
More info
Thanks to Bharathwaj, Niharika, Lokesh and Swaraj for the leads!
All non-sponsored listings featured here are events or opportunities free or nominally charged and ones we think our readers may be interested in. Sponsored listings will be marked as such. Unless specifically mentioned, SpicyIP has no affiliation to anything listed here. Know of an event worth sharing? Write to us at contact[at]spicyip[dot]com.